Student development secures consent in Preston

Preston City Council has appointed planner Nexus to work alongside Buttress Architects, Gillespies, Colliers, and WSP to work up a masterplan for an “urban village” in the Stoneygate area of the city.

The student centre and public squares that make up the flagship project in the University of Central Lancashire’s £200m masterplan have secured approval from Preston City Council’s planning committee.

The Hawkins\Brown-designed student centre and associated public space at the University of Central Lancashire is the key item facing Preston City Council’s planning committee, which meets on 11 January.

The University of Central Lancashire has released timelapse footage showing six months of construction progress at one of the sites that form part of its £8.15m social spaces project.

A proposal to build a five-storey student accommodation scheme including 190 apartments is set for approval at Preston City Council’s planning committee on 9 February.

The Lambert Brothers printing press building in Glover’s Court, Preston has been converted into 2,908 sq ft of office space following a £346,000 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The year gave a mix of both interesting individual buildings, and large-scale development sites coming forward. Designs got more adventurous, and masterplans got bigger.

Plans for a coffee shop and 11 apartments in a grade two-listed former mill and warehouse close to Preston Guild Hall and bus station are to go before the city council’s planning committee.

The Liverpool-based hotel group’s plans for the conversion of Preston’s historic former Post Office into a 60-bedroom “luxury boutique” venue are expected to be granted planning permission next week.